Stepladder



F. F. HEDDEN.

STEPLADDER. APPLICATWN -FlLED JAN-9,1920

Patented May10,1921.

5 .1: IEJ. .5.

IN l/ENTO/ Z 4 EedF/vedden UNITED STATES FRED F. HEDDEN, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

STEPLADDER.

Application filed January 9, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED F. HEDDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stepladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ladders and particularly to ladders that are adapted for use in fields, orchards or in other conditions of use in which the feet portions thereof may be arranged on supports not in a common plane, and has for its object to improve the construction of step ladders so as to facilitate the stabilization of the same in various positions for a reliable foundation, and the invention consists of the construction and details an embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described and claimed herein. v

The present step ladder is an improve ment on the form of step ladder disclosed in Patent 1,087,286, to A. H. Franklin, dated February 17, 1914. In that patent the struts or legs were provided for independent lateral movement with respect to each other, but were not provided with independent adjustment with respect to the plane of the step ladder frame proper both of the steps or struts of the set adapted to swing on a common axis toward and from the ladder frame, and the present invention has for one object to provide for the independent adjustment of one leg with respect to the other toward and from theplane of the frame of the ladder and as to each other and also independently angularly adjustable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame.

Figure 1 is a perspective showing the ladder as arranged in one position of use.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the upper portion of the ladder frame showing the independent mountings of each of the struts or legs.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing details of construction.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of a fragment of the ladder frame with a portion of one of the leg hangers.

Fig. 5 is a detail transverse section illustrating in plan a form of clip to retain the legs in retracted position.

The device comprises a ladder frame having a series of treads 2 connected by side stringers 3 and having a top tread or plat- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 10. 1921.

Serial No. 350,485.

form 4, these elements being of suitable construction,v proportion and material and.

forming a rigid frame adapted to be supported ina suitable upright position conveniently with respect to an uneven supporting surface of configuration through the proper adjustment of suitable legs or struts 55.

To secure the eiiicient adjustment of this ladder in various installations it is preferable that the legs 5 5 be adjustable entirely independent of each other toward and from the plane of the ladder frame 3 and also laterally toward and from the longi-, tudinal axis of the main frame, and to that end each of the legs 5 is connected to an independent hanger, in the presentcase, comprising a toothed segment 6 having a radial bar 7 at one side with projecting studs or bearing members 88 adapted to suitable bearings 9 of which an appropriate number is shown as attached to the lower surface of the platform or top step 4. The hanger segment 6 is also provided with an arm 7 for rigidity of construction, this arm being substantially at right angles to the axle forming arm 7, and a pair of the frames 6 is utilized, in the present case, one for each leg 5, the frames being set with their arms 7 in juxtaposition and with the adjacent pivot studs or shaft ends 8 in a common intermediate bearing 9.

The legs 5 are respectively connected to their frames 6 in suitable manner, in the present case comprising a pivot pin 11 at the upper end of each leg, this pin extending through a radial slot 12 at the base of the arm 7 so that the leg can be lifted or have slight play with respect to its hanger 6 in order to permit the interlocking with the teeth of the segment 6 of a pin 13 mounted in the leg 5 at such position as to engage the toothed surface 14 of the segment.

For rigidity of construction and durability the pins 11 and 13 are shown as passed through a U-shape support 15 between the spaced arms of which the segment 6 may ride when the leg 5 is swung from or toward the longitudinal axis of the ladder as on the upper pivot pin 11 in the slot 12. The object of the slot is to permit the movement of the locking pin 13 from or toward the teeth 14L in the angular adjustment of the leg laterally of the frame of the ladder. As soon as the legs 5 have been set in their relative angular adjustment to each other and also set in independent angular relation -Wlth respect to the plane of the frame 3 the legs become automatically locked by the interengagement of the pins 13 with the teeth 14: of the segments and the whole therefore rigidly connected and capable of bearing a load on the ladder.

From this it will be seen that it is possible to swing the legs 5-5 independently toward and from the plane of the ladder frame 3 and also to swing them independently and toward each other or toward and from the longitudinal axis of the ladder at any angular position of the legs with respect to tl e plane of the frame of the ladder.

The legs 5 5 may be temporarily locked or retained in contracted position by means of a suitable device as a yielding clip or re ceiver 16 that may be attached to one of the lower treads of the ladder frame, as shown in Fig. 5.

The swinging movement of he legs 55 about their pivots 11 can be limited by any suitable means as for instance by inwardly deflecting one component or side of a member 15 as at 15.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

I claim: I

1. A step ladder having a step frame, legs move independently universally hinged to said frame to move independently of each other, and means to lock said legs in'lateral adjustment.

2. A step ladder having a step frame, hinges secured to said frame, legs universally hinged to said frame by said hinges to of each other, said hinged means having means thereon to lock said legs in lateral adjustment.

8. A step ladder having a step frame, legs universally hinged to said frame to move independently of each other, the hinge means comprising individual segmental members hingel to said frame along one side, legs pivotally mounted on said hinge members, notches in the arcuateportions of each member, and means on the legs co-acting with said notches to secure them against lateral movement.

4. A step ladder having a step fran e, segmental hinge members mounted on said frame adjacen its top to move independently of each other, legs pivotally mounted on said hinge members to move laterally with reference to said frame, means on said hinge members to selectively adjust the legs laterally with reference to each other and with reference to the horizontal plane of said frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRED F. HEDDEN. 

